


Petunia Visits the DVLA

by emeraldsage85



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2015-10-23
Packaged: 2018-04-27 16:25:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5055655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emeraldsage85/pseuds/emeraldsage85
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A trip to renew Vernon's license plates turns into a shock for Petunia Dursley.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Petunia Visits the DVLA

**Author's Note:**

> I had originally titled this Petunia Goes to the DMV while working on it. Then I did some googling and found out that the British version is called the DVLA. I couldn't think of a great title so I just amended the working one.

Petunia Dursley entered the doors of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, already looking the picture of misery. She hated having to perform this particular chore but Vernon’s car absolutely needed license plates today and he simply hadn’t been able to take the time off work. Instead he had saddled her with the job because he was desperate to drive his new Bentley. There was already a long line forming when Petunia entered the building and she became even more annoyed as she realized that this was going to be an enormous waste of time.  She sniffed disdainfully as she joined the back of the queue.

Everyone in the building looked frumpy and unwashed to her as though they had simply rolled out of bed and headed straight to the DVLA. They were nothing like Petunia in her smart pantsuit with her neatly styled hair, manicured nails, and designer handbag. Vernon had finally managed to earn himself a promotion despite the disastrous incident from several years ago involving the Potter boy and the pudding.  Petunia shuddered at the thought and put it away. It was best not to remember now. What was done was done and she now lived in an even greater standard of comfort thanks to Mr. Mason’s ability to forgive and forget, although it was not without a substantial amount of grovelling on Vernon’s part.

Petunia sighed impatiently as she realized that the line was not budging at all. Ahead of her she spied a man wearing a t-shirt with a silhouette of a naked woman. _Absolutely degrading to wear such a thing in public,_ she thought reproachfully. Her eyes then flickered to the front of the queue to see an elderly woman with a cane tottering by the window, chattering a mile a minute to the staff. Petunia supposed that this was the hold up; she wondered if the woman should even be driving at her advanced age.

Two places ahead of her stood two men. One was extremely tall with ginger hair and freckled arms while the other was short, slight, and had a shock of untidy black hair. Ginger hair was wearing a t-shirt that proclaimed the tour of a band called the Weird Sisters. _Probably horrible_ thought Petunia, who much preferred Lawrence Welk to any of the filth on the radio. Black hair leaned in close and said something to his friend, which made both of them snicker. Then he wrapped an arm around the ginger man’s waist and stuck a hand in his back pocket.

Petunia made a face that looked like she was sucking on a lemon. _Freaks! Both of them!_ They were almost as bad as **those people** her sister had been associated with. It was a lucky thing Vernon wasn’t here after all. He’d have had a coronary at the mere sight of them. Petunia quickly preoccupied herself with admiring her new handbag because it was much better than looking at **them**. Then she heard it and nearly dropped her bag in shock.

“Harry, are you sure that muggle cars don’t have invisibility boosters? What if it’s part of the exam? What if I fail because of it?” ginger hair was asking his friend.

“Ron, we went over this. No invisibility boosters; it’s not like your dad’s car. Remember those Ministry cars that we took to the train station? It’s like that, only smaller,” black hair murmured.

Petunia had to close her mouth so she wouldn’t catch flies. It couldn’t be, could it? Was it **_him_**? She felt her heart suddenly clench in her chest **.**  She might not have seen her nephew in years but there could only be one Harry who was related to the mention of muggles. Panic set in and she wondered if he had seen her. No, he mustn’t have; the conversation ahead of her would surely be tenser, plus knowing the boy as she did he’d probably be unable to go without saying anything. Petunia debated leaving but was torn between her chances of being seen and the wrath she’d face when Vernon found out he’d have to go another day without driving his beloved Bentley.

“I don’t think I’m cut out for this. I think brooms are more my speed…maybe the floo network. Oh Merlin this is going to be worse than apparating!” ginger hair worried.

Black hair squeezed him a little tighter and said, “It’ll be fine. Just stop worrying cause it’s making everything worse!”

Ginger hair fidgeted a little but seemed to settle down after a moment.  Then black hair leaned in, and in a lower tone that Petunia strained to hear, said, “I love you.”

Petunia didn’t pay attention to ginger hair’s reply because she thought would retch at any moment. How horrible! She briefly remembered Vernon’s idea of putting all of **those sorts of people** on an island where they couldn’t harm anyone normal and decided it was a great idea. The line began to inch forward again and she resolutely decided to ignore any more conversation from the couple ahead of her. Instead she thought about Cynthia Arterberry’s upcoming garden party and began mentally debating which dress to wear. Elizabeth Grenville was sure to show up in pink so Petunia decided that it might be a good idea to wear yellow. That way they wouldn’t clash while sitting together

“Harry, are you sure we shouldn’t come back another day?”

Petunia wasn’t listening, she really wasn’t.  She could probably buy a new hat to go with her dress today if the license plates for the Bently didn’t take too long.

“Ron, stop worrying. You wanted to get a muggle license and you’re getting one.”

Petunia looked down at her feet and admired her nicely pedicured toes. Some new shoes from one of the most expensive shoe stores in town would be a good idea as well. They could certainly afford it and Vernon would understand once she told him what sort of hell she’d had to endure today.

"What if I don’t pass? Maybe I could –“

“Don’t you dare think of confunding the examiner Ron!”

She’d have to bring a cake to the garden party for sure. Her grandmother’s pound cake was always a favourite with the neighbourhood women and it was easy to make.

“I can’t do this. We’ll have to come back some other day,” ginger hair moaned and he broke free of the line, heading for the nearest door.

“Ron, wait – “

Harry’s voice died in his throat as he wheeled around and made eye contact with Petunia. For a moment she felt frozen to the spot, unable to do or say any of the nasty things she’d ever envisioned when imagining this scenario. Instead she looked into eyes that were unmistakably Lily’s and felt a stab of something that was a mixture of pain and regret pierce her heart. Then she shook it off. 

Petunia summoned the fiercest glare she could muster and stood her ground, almost daring the boy to say something, anything that would allow her to spew forth the venom for anything or anyone magical she’d nurtured all these years. For a split second Harry looked both shocked and angry at her presence. Then he was out the door of the DVLA like a shot, obviously in pursuit of his friend.

Petunia hefted her handbag onto her shoulder with a loud _harrumph_ **!** Oh yes, she definitely deserved a new pair of shoes today.

 

 


End file.
